Allergic reactions Allergic reactions are severe adverse reactions that occur when the body’s immune system overreacts to a particular allergen.These reactions may be caused by food, insect stings, latex, medications and other substances. In Canada, the nine priority food allergens Soy are peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, milk, eggs, seafood (fish, crustaceans and shellfish), soy, wheat One of the nine most and sulphites (a food additive). common food allergens What are the symptoms of an allergic reaction? When someone comes in contact with an allergen, the symptoms of a reaction may develop quickly and rapidly progress from mild to severe. The most severe form of an allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Symptoms can include breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure or shock, which may result in loss of consciousness and even death. A person experiencing an allergic reaction may have any of the following symptoms: • Flushed face, hives or a rash, red and itchy skin • Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat and tongue • Trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing • Anxiety, distress, faintness, paleness, sense of doom, weakness • Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting • A drop in blood pressure, rapid heart beat, loss of consciousness How are food allergies and severe allergic reactions treated? Currently there is no cure for food allergies.The only option is complete avoidance of the specific allergen. Appropriate emergency treatment for anaphylaxis (a severe food allergy reaction) includes an injection of adrenaline, which is available in an auto-injector device. Adrenaline must be administered as soon as symptoms of a severe allergic reaction appear.The injection must be followed by further treatment and observation in a hospital emergency room. If your allergist has diagnosed you with a food allergy and prescribed adrenaline, carry it with you all the time and know how to use it. Follow your allergist’s advice on how to use an auto-injector device. Frequently asked questions about soy allergies Avoiding soy and soy derivatives I have a soy allergy. How can I avoid a Make sure you read product labels carefully to avoid soy-related reaction? products that contain soy and soy derivatives. Avoid Avoid all food and products that contain soy and soy food and products that do not have an ingredient list and derivatives. These include any product whose ingredient read labels every time you shop. Manufacturers may list warns it “may contain” or “may contain traces of” soy. occasionally change their recipes or use different ingredients for varieties of the same brand. Refer to the Can a soy allergy be outgrown? following list before shopping: Soy allergies are most common in infants and usually develop at three months of age. Most infants outgrow their soy allergy by the age of two. However,a severe soy Other names for soy allergy can last a lifetime. Consult your allergist before Edamame reintroducing soy products. Kinako Kouridofu How can I determine if a product contains soy Miso or soy derivatives? Mono-diglyceride Always read the ingredient list carefully. Soy and soy Natto derivatives can often be present under different names, Nimame e.g., tofu. For other common ingredient label names, refer Okara to the list below. Soya, soja, soybean, soyabeans Soy protein (isolate/concentrate), vegetable protein What do I do if I am not sure whether a product Tempeh contains soy or soy derivatives? Textured soy flour (TSF), textured soy protein (TSP), If you have a soy allergy, do not eat or use the product. textured vegetable protein (TVP) Get ingredient information from the manufacturer. Tofu (soybean curds) Yuba Does product size affect the likelihood of an allergic reaction? It does not affect the likelihood of a reaction; however, the same brand of product may be safe to consume for one product size but not another.This is because product Make sure you read product labels formulation may vary between different product sizes of carefully to avoid products that the same product. contain soy and soy derivatives. Avoid food and products that Most infants outgrow their soy do not have an ingredient list and allergy by the age of two. read labels every time you shop. However, a severe soy allergy can last a lifetime. Possible sources of soy What can I do? Note: Avoid all food and products that contain soy in the Be informed ingredient list, e.g., soy cheese. See an allergist and educate yourself about food allergies. Contact your local allergy association for further information. Baby formulas Baked goods and baking mixes, e.g., breads, cookies, cake If you or anyone you know has food allergies or would mixes, doughnuts, pancakes like to receive information about food being recalled, sign Bean sprouts up for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) free Beverage mixes, e.g., hot chocolate, lemonade e-mail “Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts” notification service Bread crumbs, cereals, crackers available at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/ Breaded foods, chili, pastas, stews, taco filling, tamales listserv/listsube.shtml?foodrecalls_rappelsaliments. Canned tuna/minced hams When you sign up you will automatically receive food recall Chewing gum public warnings. Cooking spray, margarine, vegetable shortening, vegetable oil Diet drinks, imitation milk Before eating Dressings, gravies, marinades Allergists recommend that if you do not have your Frozen desserts auto-injector device with you, that you do not eat. If Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), hydrolyzed soy protein an ingredient list says a product “may contain” or “does (HSP), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) contain” soy or soy derivatives, do not eat it. If you do Lecithin not recognize an ingredient or there is no ingredient list Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (may contain hydrolyzed available, avoid the product. protein) Processed and prepared meats, e.g., beef, deli, pork, poultry Sauces, e.g., soy, shoyu, tamari, teriyaki,Worcestershire Seafood-based products, fish Watch out for allergen cross contamination! Seasoning, spices Simulated fish and meat products, e.g., surimi Cross contamination is the transfer of an ingredient (food (imitation crab/lobster meat), simulated bacon bits allergen) to a product that does not normally have that Snack foods, e.g., candy, chocolate, energy bars, fudge, ingredient in it. Through cross contamination, a food that popcorn, potato chips should not contain the allergen could become dangerous Soups, broths, soup mixes/stock to eat for those who are allergic. Spreads, dips, mayonnaise, peanut butter Thickening agents Cross contamination can happen: Vegetarian dishes • during food manufacturing through shared production Non-food sources of soy and packaging equipment; Cosmetics, soaps • at retail through shared equipment, e.g., cheese and deli Craft materials meats sliced on the same slicer; and through bulk display Glycerine of food products, e.g., bins of baked goods, bulk nuts; and Milk substitutes for young animals Pet food • during food preparation at home or in restaurants Vitamins through equipment, utensils and hands. Note: These lists are not complete and may change. Food and food products purchased from other countries, through mail-order or the Internet, are not always produced using the same manufacturing and labelling standards as in Canada. What is the Government of Canada doing Where can I get more information? about food allergens? The Government of Canada is committed to providing safe For more information on: food to all Canadians. The CFIA and Health Canada work • food allergies; closely with municipal, provincial and territorial partners • ordering free copies of this pamphlet; and and industry to meet this goal. • subscribing to the free “Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts” e-mail notification service, The CFIA enforces Canada’s labelling laws and works with visit the CFIA Website at www.inspection.gc.ca associations, distributors, food manufacturers and importers or call 1 800 442-2342/TTY 1 800 465-7735 to ensure complete and appropriate labelling of all foods. (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday). The CFIA recommends that food companies establish effective allergen controls to prevent the occurrence of undeclared allergens and cross-contamination. The CFIA has Below are some organizations that can provide additional developed guidelines and tools to aid them in developing allergy information: these controls. When the CFIA becomes aware of a potential serious hazard associated with a food, such as Allergy/Asthma Information Association www.aaia.ca undeclared allergens, the food product is recalled from the Anaphylaxis Canada www.anaphylaxis.ca marketplace and a public warning is issued. The CFIA has Association québécoise des allergies alimentaires also published several advisories to industry and consumers www.aqaa.qc.ca (French only) regarding allergens in food. Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology www.csaci.medical.org (English only) Health Canada has worked with the medical community, Health Canada www.hc-sc.gc.ca consumer associations, and the food industry to enhance labelling regulations for priority allergens, gluten sources and sulphites in pre-packaged food sold in Canada. Health Developed in consultation with Allergy/Asthma Information Canada is proposing to amend the Food and Drug Regulations Association, Anaphylaxis Canada, Association québécoise des to require that the most common food and food ingredients allergies alimentaires, Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical that cause life-threatening or severe allergic reactions Immunology and Health Canada. are always identified by their common names allowing consumers to easily recognize them. Cat. No. A104-27/2-2005E ISBN 0-662-40351-7 P0427-05/07E.